Throwback Thursday: Sipho Sephadi

Former Jomo Cosmos midfielder Clint Sipho Sephadi says he was once on the radar of the 'Big Three' and a club in Italy during a lengthy career.

Sephadi started out at Wits University [now Bidvest Wits] in 1994 before moving to Cosmos and then Mvela League team Winners Park.

"I played most of my games at Cosmos because I stayed there for a very long time from 1997 to 2009. I stayed about 15 years. But my best soccer was at Wits because I was offensive at Wits and I scored a lot of goals," Sephadi tells KickOff.com.

Nicknamed 'Spaghetti' by his teammates at Ezenkosi because of his small frame, he retired in 2009 while on the books of Winners Park at the age of 36.

"I was tired, I was lazy man and the age was catching up. So you know when it's time and you have become lazy even to go to training. I decided ja let me call it quits here. I'm turning 45 now."

Sephadi says Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs tried to sign him at one stage but nothing materialised.

"Sundowns wanted to buy me from Wits but then I went to Cosmos. Screamer Tshabalala was coaching there but the deal didn't go through and they settled for Lovers Mohlala. I think they bought Lovers with a lot of money and they were left with nothing more, so I had to go to Cosmos.

"While I was at Cosmos, Pirates approached me, and Chiefs as well but all those deals never went through. In those days players, we were clueless when it came to those things. You could only hear people say this team and that team wants you, nothing more."

Sephadi, who is based in Naturena, says the most he earned as a footballer was at Cosmos where he took home R35 000 a month.

"I managed to save enough from that money, we won a lot of trophies at Cosmos, and I was not someone who lived a lavish life. So I managed to save money and I bought myself a house. I'm still living in my house with my wife. We have two children, a boy (14) and a girl (6)."

These days Sephadi works at Ace Auto Salvage, which sells cars.

"I'm doing all their paperwork there, including insurance. I get about R20 000 a month. It's okay for me because the life I'm currently living is not a 'wow life', so 20 grand is enough."

Sephadi says getting injured was tough to take during his playing days, especially when a knock derailed a potential move to Italy.

"The injuries, I remember I had a chance to go to Italy while at Cosmos. We were playing Free State Stars and after the game they approached me and I sat down with them and Jomo [Cosmos boss, Sono]. I was supposed to leave with them the following Monday immediately. But I decided to stay behind because the following weekend we were playing against Sundowns at Loftus. I wanted to play in that big game, I got injured there. I twisted my knee, I had to go for an operation. That's my biggest regret. I shouldn't have played in that game."

Sephadi says football has changed a lot these days as players lack hunger and passion.

"In our days we had passion, I don't see the passion and hunger we used to have in these boys. We were not earning a lot but we had the passion and the hunger was amazing. There is quality in these boys but not passion. Sometimes you watch a game on television and they can't even string four, five passes on the field.

"Football has changed a lot these days. I'm still saying we were better than these current players. They deserve what they are earning but they have to step up. If you are earning that kind of money you have to show the quality within you."

Terms of use:

The comments posted do not reflect the views of KickOff.com. Users are reminded that no misuse of this comment facility will be tolerated. Any abusive, racist, inflammatory, defamatory, discriminatory comments or hate speech will be deleted and the user banned.

If legally obliged we will hand over your information under the Protection of Information Act.